Pope Francis was the first non-European head of the Roman Catholic Church in more than a millennium.
Jorge Mario Bergoglio was born in 1936 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the son of Italian immigrants. He was proud of his Argentine heritage: He had a particular fondness for maté, the caffeine-rich infused drink, and tango.
On his 78th birthday, Francis welcomed hundreds of couples as they danced the tango in St. Peter's Square. He clearly appreciated the gift — after all, before becoming a priest, he'd worked as a nightclub bouncer in Buenos Aires.
Pope Francis was beloved for his common touch, wading into crowds, kissing babies, disabled people and disfigured individuals. He was oblivious to his aides' security fears, refusing to ride in a bulletproof popemobile.
He set many precedents: the first Jesuit pope, the first to take the name of St. Francis of Assisi and the first from the Global South.
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